Airport tax hurting Britain’s tourism
Hard-pressed British families are facing yet another rise in air tax which will add £260 for a family of four to fly to Florida.
New research by the World Travel & Tourism Council shows that removing the air tax (Air Passenger Duty) would result in an additional 91,000 British jobs being created and £4.2 billion added to the economy in 12 months.
David Scowsill, WTTC president and CEO, said: “Air Passenger Duty is a completely disproportionate tax on people’s holidays and is hitting business travel hard. When the economy needs help, it is economically illogical to continue with a tax that costs the country some 91,000 jobs and as much as £4.2 billion.”
Increases planned from April mean a family of four flying to Malaga will pay £52. This rises to £260 for the same family to fly to Florida and £368 to fly to Australia. “Travel & Tourism grew by 4.1% in the UK last year but is forecast to slow to 1.3% in 2012. This slowdown is partly due to the impact of Air Passenger Duty, which is dampening demand. This tax is damaging the economy at a crucial time, and is having a negative effect on trade with countries in the Caribbean, Africa and Asia.
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